Protest erupts as Hamas calls for uprising in Israel after Trump’s Jerusalem decision

The leader of the militant group Hamas called on Palestinians to launch an intifada, the Arabic word for uprising, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

"The American decision is an aggression on our people and a war on our sanctuaries," Ismail Haniyeh said in a speech, according to an Associated Press report. He told his supporters "to be ready for any orders."

"We want the uprising to last and continue to let Trump and the occupation regret this decision," Haniyeh said.

Palestinian protesters appeared to heed Haniyeh's call, clashing with Israeli troops in protests that broke out Thursday, the AP reported. In Gaza, protesters burned posters of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as Israeli and American flags. In the West Bank, protesters lit tire fires and threw stones at riot gear-clad troops. In Bethlehem, troops used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesting crowds.

Trump’s announcement Wednesday that the U.S. would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and begin the process of moving its embassy there marked a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, which had previously avoided taking a side on issues of sovereignty regarding Jerusalem. Palestinians would almost certainly seek to claim East Jerusalem, which was annexed by Israel in 1967, as its capital in any two-state peace agreement.

Trump was emphatic Wednesday that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was “nothing more or less than a recognition of reality” because the city is the seat of much of the Israeli government, including its legislature and supreme court. He said that the announcement did not represent a lessening U.S. interest in a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal.

Still, the decision was met with criticism and concern across the globe as world leaders worried that Trump’s move could erode the chances of a peace deal and spark fresh violence in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had long sought U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as his nation’s capital, praised his U.S. counterpart and called Wednesday a historic day.

But Palestinian leaders warned that the step would hinder the peace process.

“He is declaring war in the Middle East, he is declaring war against 1.5 billion Muslims [and] hundreds of millions of Christians that are not going to accept the holy shrines to be totally under the hegemony of Israel,” Manuel Hassassian, Palestine’s envoy to the United Kingdom, told BBC radio in an interview Wednesday ahead of Trump’s announcement.

Authors:

Related stories on these topics:

Alaina

God says in the Noble Qur’an: “You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah…” (Surah Al-Ma’ida 5:82).

“Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] usages and say, “We hear and disobey” and “Hear but be not heard” and “Ra’ina,” twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], “We hear and obey” and “Wait for us [to understand],” it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:46)

Posted on 12/7/17 | 3:32 PM CET

Corni

It is hard to understand the claim of all opposed to Trump’s bold move, that Jerusalem recognition is harming the peace process. What peace process, the peace that eventually Palestinians rejected year after year after year, instead fomenting violence and instability in the region. The crux of the problem, conveniently omitted by all EU ‘leaders’, is that Palestinians do not recognize Israel’s right to existence and manifest hate and hostility openly against Jews. But apparently that does not matter in their eyes, which is extremely problematic and should concern all political leaders in the world.

Posted on 12/7/17 | 3:40 PM CET

Vishnou

Hamas is supported by Iran (from a financial and military point of view) and is very rightly considered a terrorsist group by the EU. Hamas should be eradicated as quickly as possible.

Posted on 12/7/17 | 3:48 PM CET

Johann M. Wolff

Its astonishing how Israel is criticized all over the German media, presenting the Arabs as innocent victims (like the refugees in 2015, just pictures with crying children) and the Israelis as cruel oppressors.

If there is a country which should be careful criticizing Israel and Poland, and which should be careful lecturing others on democracy, that is the country on which democracy was imposed by force by the U.S. army after the most devastating wars in human history.

Posted on 12/7/17 | 4:20 PM CET

freddie silver

@Johann M. Wolff,
No surprise regarding the position taken by the media. It is the usual anti Trump, pro unlimited immigration, pro renewables (although proven uneconomical at this time) with a little bit of green and anti Brexit added.
The other problem is the fear of governments of a majority of EU countries that have a substantial population that are pro Palestinians. Riots (call them protests to be politically correct) could erupt and that is against the security of citizens who will complain against their ruling class.
Interestingly, the Czech Republic has made today declarations similar to Trump’s (of course the media did not report that). They broke ranks with the EU BUT mind you, very few migrants are there.

Posted on 12/7/17 | 4:42 PM CET

pexit

and the LoL media (Left-o-Liberal) will not talk about the little manifestation of 45.000 people for a free Catalonia in Brussels today…to less people…maybe…5 jerks shouting in Warsaw and 5 articles and all Eu puppets elite shouting…and here … complete silence… that’s the “democratic” European press with freedom of speach…

Posted on 12/7/17 | 5:43 PM CET

MLB

Not everything that happens in the world is related to Brexit.
You are leaving Fine, Can we just stop talking about it.

Posted on 12/7/17 | 6:36 PM CET

freddie silver

@ Alaina,
Thank you lady mufti. With people like you will there ever be peace in the Middle East? Or will terrorism ever stop?